Person of Interest
by Romione4Life
Summary: The story of Toby and Spencer's relationship - a relationship full of ups, downs, tears, laughter, but above all, love.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars!**

* * *

She had made a mistake.

It wasn't often that Spencer Hastings had to admit that to herself, but this was one of those rare times. Still, it was a simple mistake, an error that anyone desperate to learn the truth about their best friend's death would have made.

Unfortunately, the police weren't buying it, and now Spencer had officially been labeled a "person of interest." In other words, she was a suspect in the murder of Alison DiLaurentis.

It wasn't easy being accused of killing Ali. The police searched her room, and people she thought she could rely on turned against her.

So she went to the only person who could understand what she was going through. The only person who knew what it was like to be wrongfully accused of a crime and end up feeling hurt and confused.

Toby Cavanaugh.

Sure, Spencer's friends believed that she was innocent, but having them wasn't quite the same as having someone who had been in her shoes before. Toby could help her in ways that others couldn't.

Slowly, Spencer began to let her guard down around Toby. She revealed to him a side of herself that even those closest to her never got to see: her vulnerable side. When she was with him, she could be completely open and honest without fear of judgment. Toby became a safe haven for her, a source of comfort when she had nowhere else to go.

She supposed she should've been a little more wary of Toby. After all, most of Rosewood saw him as, for lack of a better word, a creep. But Spencer trusted him wholeheartedly, and it seemed like he trusted her, too, a fact that was confirmed by their first kiss.

They were standing in the motel parking lot after Spencer had spent the night in Toby's room when he leaned in and kissed her. It was everything that Spencer could have asked for and more. The kiss was sweet and tender, and it all felt so right. In that moment, she knew without a single doubt that she loved Toby.

Then one day, her parents dropped the bombshell that she was to stop seeing Toby. It wouldn't be good for her to associate with him, they said, especially in her current situation.

Spencer had never really been much of a rebel, but this was going too far. Couldn't they tell how happy she was with him? Didn't they know how much he had changed her life for the better? So she secretly defied her parents' orders and went over to the Cavanaughs' house to visit him.

They planned a meeting at the Founders Festival behind a tent. Nobody would notice them there. They would be able to slip away and escape into the world they'd created only for the two of them. Just the thought of it brought a smile to Spencer's face.

Seven o' clock on the day of the fair couldn't come fast enough. Spencer anxiously passed time in the church tent, waiting for the hour to approach.

She made her way to their appointed meeting place outside a funhouse a few minutes early. Toby was nowhere in sight, but Spencer was confident that he would show up soon. She glanced around, anticipating the moment when his arms would encircle her and his lips would press against hers.

Spencer's phone rang, alerting her to the arrival of a new text message. It was from an unknown number, but it was signed by Toby, saying that he'd lost his phone and he was inside the funhouse.

Had she considered things for a while, Spencer might have realized how suspicious the message seemed. She would have done something more levelheaded, such as texting back and asking Toby to come outside to make sure it was him. Instead, she entered the funhouse without a second thought.

The so-called "funhouse" was, in reality, dark and eerie. Spencer walked through the halls cautiously. "Toby?" she called out. She received no response but a high-pitched laughing sound. A grotesque clown figure popped up in front of her, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Toby!" she shouted again, her worry increasing. Again, there was nothing. Spencer started to panic; her breathing quickened. Then she caught sight of the writing on the wall, and her heart stopped.

_Having fun yet? Shut up or I'll shut you up. –A_

Spencer's terror had reached its pinnacle. She spotted a door handle and slid it open, then slipped inside. The room she was in was barely large enough for her to squeeze in. Suddenly, the door slammed shut, leaving Spencer in total darkness. She pushed on the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"HELP!" Spencer screamed, now bordering on hysteria. "Somebody, please help!" She banged against the door; it remained securely closed. If only this could be like a fairy tale, where her knight in shining armor would come rushing in to save her.

Whether she stayed trapped for a few minutes or several hours, Spencer had no idea. She continued to yell for help for what felt like years. The tiny room seemed to be growing smaller. She didn't know how much longer she could stand it.

Finally, _finally,_ someone yanked the door open. Certain it would be Toby, Spencer began to say his name, but the word died on her lips.

It was Ian, standing before her with a crowbar in his hands. But he didn't attack her, as Spencer instinctually expected. He turned around and called out, "I found her!"

Instantly, Spencer was surrounded by her mother and Melissa. Her mother embraced her and whispered reassuring things in her ear. Once Spencer had managed to calm down, the group left the funhouse.

And there he was at last. Toby stood there, not saying a word, merely staring at her with his gentle eyes. Spencer took a moment to drink in his appearance.

"Spencer," her mother said, calmly but firmly. Spencer reluctantly followed her away from the funhouse.

_What are you doing? _she admonished herself. _Forget your mother. Forget your image. Forget A. He's waiting for you. _

Spencer halted and spun around. Toby was still there, silent and patient. Before she could stop herself, she walked over to him and hugged him tightly. Then she tilted her head up and kissed him, in full view of her mother and anyone else that happened to be in the vicinity.

This was where she belonged. For a few glorious seconds, she wasn't Spencer, person of interest. She was just Spencer.

And that was exactly how she liked it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I have a few things I want to say before I continue on with this story...**

**I have been watching this show thanks to an awesome friend who shares her Netflix with me when I'm at her house. I've only gotten through season 1 and the first episode of season 2, which is where this chapter begins. I thought I'd update this fanfiction whenever I watch an episode with some good Spoby moments so that when I'm done, I'll have their whole story. However, this means that updates will be sporadic depending on when I see the next episode. They may be anywhere from a few days to several weeks apart. This also means that I will often be drawing from a memory that tends to be unreliable. So while I'll be as accurate as possible and my friend has kindly been reading this for me to check for glaring errors, I hope you won't be bothered by minor inaccuracies.**

**All right, that was a LONG note there, so I'll stop now and get on with this.**

* * *

Their relationship was falling apart – through no fault of their own, of course. It was simply because of several obstacles that stood in their way.

There was the day Toby had come to the front door, asking if Spencer was there. Unfortunately, his timing was awful. Spencer, her three friends, and their parents had been in the midst of a serious discussion about recent events and what they were going to do next.

"You can't see her," Mr. Hastings told Toby.

"But I –" Toby said.

"Whether you've earned it or not, you have a reputation, Mr. Cavanaugh," Mr. Hastings interrupted.

"I would never hurt Spencer," Toby insisted solemnly.

Mr. Hastings shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I think you should go home. I don't want you around my daughter right now."

Toby's face fell. He turned to leave, but not before his eyes met Spencer's. She could see the anguish and longing in them, and it almost made her push past her father and go to him.

Almost.

Normally, she would've done it. After her traumatic experience with Ian, however, she had lost some of her nerve. Besides, she didn't want to embarrass herself and her parents in front of all these people.

So she held herself back. It was a decision she would soon regret, because it was the start of a seemingly endless series of near encounters.

A few days later, Spencer decided she would try visiting Toby at his house. Maybe his parents wouldn't care as much as hers did when it came to their relationship.

As luck would have it, Jenna opened the door when Spencer knocked on the Cavanaughs' door.

"Hi," Spencer said slowly, trying to peer over Jenna's shoulder. "Is Toby home?"

"You shouldn't be here," Jenna said in reply with that annoying little smirk of hers. "Our parents don't want you around him."

With that, Jenna shut the door. Spencer sighed. So Toby's family did know what was going on. Either that or, more likely, Jenna didn't want her around Toby.

Then there was the time they'd gone to see the psychiatrist - or the shrink, as Hanna referred to her as. Toby had been there when they'd gone outside, standing by a car. His face lit up when he saw Spencer. She started to smile back, but it quickly faded when another person stepped into view.

Jenna.

Spencer sighed as Toby put his arm around Jenna, carefully guiding her into the car. It had been so long since she had a moment alone with Toby. Maybe this was fate's way of telling them that they just weren't meant to be together.

* * *

Spencer slipped a sleeveless black shirt on and eyed herself critically in the mirror. She wanted to look nice – after all, she was finally going to see Toby again today.

Emily had kindly invited both Spencer and Toby to come to her house to spend time together. It was a foolproof plan. Spencer would just tell her parents that she was going over to Emily's. They wouldn't have a problem with that. And, well, she couldn't help it if Emily had another guest there, could she?

"Cute shirt," Melissa commented, entering Spencer's room. "Are you going somewhere special?"

Spencer shrugged. "Just Emily's house. Why?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Can we talk for a moment?" Melissa asked.

"I don't think so. Emily's waiting for me," Spencer replied. _And Toby_, she added silently.

"This is important," Melissa said. "I'm sorry that I said I didn't want you around my baby. I didn't mean it. And I… I need you to tell me what happened that night at the church."

"Melissa, I've already told you everything," Spencer said impatiently.

"Yes, but I was too worried about Ian before. I didn't really listen to you," Melissa said. "I'm listening now. I need all the information I can get to find my husband."

Spencer bit her lip. She was torn. On one hand, she had the chance to be with Toby. On the other hand, this might be the only opportunity she had to explain things to her sister.

Reluctantly, Spencer picked up her phone and wrote a quick text to Emily: _Tell Toby I can't make it. Sorry._ She sent the message and set her phone down.

"Okay," she said to Melissa. "Are you ready?"

Melissa nodded. "Tell me what happened," she repeated.

* * *

It was late at night when Spencer heard the rustling outside the house. She was home alone, so naturally, she assumed it was something dangerous. Quietly, she jumped into action. She tiptoed over to both sets of doors in the living room and closed them, then shut off the lights in the kitchen and crouched down behind the counter with a knife in her hand.

Someone turned the door handle and opened it. A shadow made its way into the house, followed by a live person. Heart racing, Spencer gripped the knife tighter. Her gaze began to travel upward, from the person's shoes to their jeans to their t-shirt. Finally, she reached their face.

It was Toby.

Spencer stood up, set down the knife, and switched on the lights. She let out a shaking breath as Toby turned to her. He approached her and encompassed her in his arms.

"I had to see you," he murmured. She wanted to slap him for scaring the wits out of her, but she was so relieved he was there that she decided against it.

"Don't ever do that again," she said instead.

"I won't," Toby promised.

* * *

The couple passed a blissful evening together, talking and simply enjoying each others' presence. Eventually they found themselves curled up on the sofa together.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this," Spencer admitted to Toby.

"Do what?" Toby asked, taking Spencer's hand and starting to play with her fingers.

"Have a relationship like this without my parents finding out," Spencer answered. "I can't imagine how other people manage it," she added vaguely. She thought specifically of her friends who had to keep their own relationships secret, but didn't mention their names. They probably didn't want Toby hearing about their personal problems.

"It's not that bad," Toby said. "As long as I can be with you, I don't care where or when it is."

"Yes, but I want to be able to go out with you in public. I want other people to know that you're my…" Spencer broke off for a moment. She was going to say 'boyfriend,' but it seemed like too casual of a word to describe Toby. He was so much more than that.

"That you're my soul mate," she finished.

Toby smiled. "We'll get to that point eventually. You'll see," he said. "But for now, we'll have to content ourselves with secret meetings, stolen kisses… and the occasional game of Scrabble."

Spencer laughed. "Not tonight, Toby."

"Why? Are you worried that you're going to be annihilated again?" Toby said teasingly.

"Of course not," Spencer said. "I'm just tired, and it's getting late. And for the record, I didn't lose _that_ badly."

"Whatever you say, Spence," Toby said. He kissed the top of her head and got up from the sofa. Spencer stood up as well and followed him to the door.

"Thanks for coming," she said, leaning against the doorframe. "I really needed this."

"You're welcome," Toby said. "I'll see you soon. Oh, and don't forget to lock the door."

"Yes, sir," Spencer said with a grin. She watched Toby set off into the night, satisfied at last.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Well, my friend borrowed season 2 of PLL on DVD from the library and then _I _borrowed it from _her_, so I have completed the season! Now the problem is that I know too much, and it's hard for me to remember exactly what happened. I've found some stuff on the PLL Wiki and a few video clips on YouTube to help, but if anyone knows any other sources, please let me know!**

**This definitely isn't the most thrilling chapter in the world, but we're getting closer to more exciting scenes that I'm looking forward to writing, so bear with me, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon.**

**Thanks! :)**

* * *

Spencer had to do a double take when she spotted Toby at school. She was surprised to see him, considering he'd left school. Was he coming back? Curious, she hurried to catch up to him.

"Hey," she said. Toby turned to look at her. "I thought you were done with this place," she continued, leaning up against a nearby pillar.

"I am," Toby said. "I just came by to pick up some paperwork for my GED."

"Oh," Spencer said with a hint of disappointment in her tone. "I thought maybe you'd decided to return to school."

Toby shook his head. "Nope. I'm never coming back."

"Are you sure?" Spencer asked.

"Spencer, I already have a job," Toby said, indicating the construction company logo on his shirt.

Spencer beamed at him. Maybe this was the start of Toby fixing his reputation with the people in town. "That's great, Toby," she said sincerely.

"Yep. I'm hoping to save up enough money to buy a truck and get out of this place for good," Toby said.

Spencer's grin faded. "You mean… You're going to leave Rosewood?" she said, sounding hurt.

"No!" Toby said quickly. "I meant that I wanted to get out of my house. I'm staying in Rosewood, at least for a while."

"Yeah?" Spencer said skeptically, lowering her gaze to the ground. What would possibly keep Toby in Rosewood once he had the money to leave? "Name three reasons to stick around here."

"Well, I can only think of one right now," Toby said.

Spencer raised her eyes as the meaning behind Toby's words sunk in. _She_ was the sole reason Toby had for staying in Rosewood. He cared about her too much to leave her.

Toby was willing to stay here for her. Spencer wondered if she would have the courage to follow him should he ever change his mind.

* * *

Spencer drove up to the construction site, looking around for Toby. She was hoping to surprise him at work, and maybe they could hang out for a while when he was done.

She soon spotted Toby, but she frowned when she saw the foreman approach him. The two had a short conversation, then the foreman handed Toby an envelope and shook his hand. Toby turned away and noticed Spencer watching him. He walked over to her car, looking slightly crestfallen.

"What happened?" Spencer asked before Toby could say anything.

"The boss had to let me go," Toby explained.

"Why?" Spencer said.

"The owner of the house saw me and told the boss she'd fire him unless he fired me," Toby said. "She doesn't want me around."

All hopes Spencer had of Toby being accepted in Rosewood instantly vanished. "They can't do that!" she said angrily.

"Yes, they can," Toby said. Spencer was shocked at how unconcerned he seemed.

"I'm going to go over there and give that boss a piece of my mind," she said, beginning to open her car door.

"Don't," Toby said. "You'll only make things worse. Besides, I don't blame the foreman. He was only doing what he had to do. I'm used to it now. Trust me."

Spencer couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't imagine getting used to being shunned by almost an entire town. She wanted to tell Toby to just forget about her and leave Rosewood. There was no way he could continue living his life here.

But, as she was ashamed to admit to herself, she was too selfish to let him go yet.

* * *

"You're here again?" Spencer said teasingly to Toby when she saw him at school yet again a few days later. "You just can't stay away from this place, can you?"

"I'm dropping off the paperwork for my GED, so don't think you have anything to do with it," Toby replied with a grin.

"Oh, of course not," Spencer said mock-seriously. "So, do you want to grab some coffee? I have time before my next class starts."

"I'd love to, but I can't," Toby said. "I have to get to work."

"You got another job? Where?" Spencer asked.

Toby hesitated for a moment. "Jason DiLaurentis' house," he said finally.

Spencer's eyes widened. Jason's house was the last place she wanted Toby right now. "No, Toby, you shouldn't work there!"

"I need the money, Spence," Toby said.

"I know, but I don't trust Jason. I'd be worried that something would happen to you."

"Spencer," Toby said firmly. "I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

Spencer sighed. She could see there was no way to convince Toby that he shouldn't take the job. "At least promise me you won't go in Jason's house," she begged.

"I promise," Toby said, leaning in and kissing Spencer softly. She accepted the kiss but kept her eyes downcast, still feeling uneasy. _Any other job would be better than this one, _she thought.

* * *

After school, as Spencer was heading home, she noticed Toby hard at work at the DiLaurentis' house. She decided to make one last attempt to get Toby to quit.

She walked over to Toby, who straightened up when he saw her. "Is there anything I can do to persuade you to leave this place and find another job?" she said.

"We've already been over this. I need money and I need it now. And there's nowhere else I can find a job at the moment. I was lucky to get this one," Toby said.

_Why did Toby have to be so stubborn? _"But this makes me nervous," Spencer said. "Please reconsider."

Toby shook his head. "Honestly, Spencer, I'm touched that you're so concerned about me, but I think you're being a little too paranoid."

Spencer bit her lip. There had to be some other way for Toby to get the money he needed. If only she knew what that way was.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! I like how this chapter turned out, and I hope you all like it, too.**

**Since I'm only focusing on Spencer and Toby, I thought I'd start including which episodes I cover in each chapter so you know what's going on elsewhere. This chapter includes scenes from episodes 2x03, 2x06, and 2x07, if I'm not mistaken.**

* * *

"Any sign of it?" Melissa asked Spencer, lifting up the sofa cushions for probably the fifth time that day. Her wedding ring was missing, and she was absolutely determined to find it.

"Nope," Spencer answered. She opened a kitchen cabinet and quickly scanned the shelf. "I don't know what to tell you, Melissa. I think it's gone."

"Keep looking!" Melissa snapped. "It has to be around here somewhere! Rings don't just get up and walk away."

Spencer rolled her eyes, but wordlessly continued what she was sure would be a fruitless search. They'd scoured the house from top to bottom at least twice with no luck. Did Melissa think the ring would suddenly show up?

Sighing, Spencer shut the cabinet and opened another to no avail. _This is so pointless, _she grumbled to herself. _If we don't find it soon, I'm stopping, no matter what Melissa or anyone else says. I have better things to do with my time._

Still complaining silently in her head, Spencer lifted up the toaster. Something small and silvery caught her eye.

It was the ring.

Spencer set down the toaster and picked up the ring. She examined it closely, having never really gotten a good look at it. It seemed very expensive. Definitely worth several thousand dollars.

Spencer glanced over at Melissa, who had now stuck her head under the couch and wasn't paying the least bit attention to what her sister was doing. So before she could stop herself, Spencer slipped the ring in her pocket.

_Melissa is done with Ian, _she told herself. _She's not married anymore. And Ian never deserved her in the first place. But Toby, on the other hand… He deserves something special._

* * *

Spencer drove up to the DiLaurentis' house in the truck she'd bought for Toby. She'd secretly pawned Melissa's wedding ring for $2,000 – just enough to purchase the used vehicle.

Now that she'd actually done it, she was beginning to feel a little guilty, but the feeling vanished when Toby came around to the front of the house. The look on his face was one she hoped she'd remember forever.

"You're crazy!" he shouted to her as she stopped the truck and climbed out of the driver's seat.

"Take it!" Spencer called back, tossing him the keys. "It's yours!"

Toby walked toward her, shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you know how long it's going to take me to pay you back for this?"

"Well, you have a job to get to tomorrow, don't you?" Spencer said. "In Yardley."

Toby stared directly at Spencer. "I love you so much."

"I wanted to say that first," Spencer said, but she couldn't resist smiling. Hearing those five simple words from Toby meant the world to her.

Toby wrapped his arms around Spencer, and she placed her hands on either side of his face. Their lips met, and any lingering doubts Spencer had about what she'd done immediately disappeared. She wouldn't trade this moment for anything.

* * *

They were standing in the Hastings' doorway, sharing a kiss in the moonlight.

"Wow," Spencer said when they broke apart. "You sure know how to walk a girl home."

Toby smiled. "So," he said. "What time tomorrow do you need me?" He leaned down and began to lightly kiss Spencer's neck.

"Um," Spencer said, momentarily distracted by Toby's display of affection. "After school-ish?"

"Perfect," Toby said. "Let me know if you need anything before then, okay?"

"Actually, there is one thing," Spencer said. "Could you build me some make-up tables for the fashion show models?"

"Of course," Toby answered. "For you, I won't sleep until it's done."

And that, Spencer thought as he kissed her on the lips again, was one of the greatest things about Toby. When he was committed to someone or something, he became completely and utterly devoted to it, and he didn't back down unless he was forced to or he accomplished his goal.

"Good night," Toby murmured, finally releasing Spencer.

"See you tomorrow," she said. She stepped into the house, smiled at Toby, and gently closed the door.

* * *

"You look amazing."

Spencer turned at the sound of the familiar voice. Toby's appearance was exactly what she needed at the moment. The fashion show had caused a lot more stress than she'd bargained for.

"Thank you," she said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss Toby on the cheek. She opened her mouth to say something else, but she was cut off by Mona rushing up to her.

"Where's your headset?" Mona exclaimed. "Here, take mine. I need you to find the tribute slideshow disc and give it to Noel, okay?"

With that, Mona hurried off, probably to go give orders to someone else. Out of all the things Spencer had to deal with during the fashion show preparation, Mona's controlling leadership and overly peppy attitude were the most annoying.

"I'm going to –" she started.

"Take a breath," Toby interrupted. Spencer inhaled deeply and then nodded to show Toby that she had calmed down.

"Better?" Toby asked.

"Better," Spencer confirmed. "Thank you. Again. I don't know how I'd get through this without you."

"You'd find a way," Toby said. "You always find a way."

* * *

Things seemed to be taking a turn for the better. Spencer had managed to convince her father that he should hire Toby to do some renovations for them. She'd done it completely for Toby's benefit, of course. The fact that he'd be right outside for her to visit whenever she wanted was merely a bonus.

She found Toby clearing some weeds on their property after school on his first day of work. "I thought I'd sit out here and fan myself while I watch you work," she said, settling herself daintily on a chair in the shade and flapping her hand in a fanning motion. "Or," she continued, "I could make you a grilled cheese sandwich."

"I'd like both," Toby said.

Just then, Spencer's dad appeared. "Toby," he said in surprise. "I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow."

"I wasn't, but I decided to come a day early and start clearing the area so I have less work tomorrow," Toby explained. "And while you're here, Mr. Hastings, I'd like you to take a look at some sketches I made for the barn renovations."

He pulled some papers out of his pocket and handed them to Mr. Hastings. "I'm no architect, but I thought I'd show you some of my ideas before I got started," he went on.

"You drew these?" Mr. Hastings asked as he pored over the drawings.

"Yes, sir," Toby said.

"They look great," Mr. Hastings said. "I'm impressed."

"Thank you," Toby said as he took the sketches back from Mr. Hastings. He caught Spencer's eye, and she beamed at him.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to your work. I'll see you here tomorrow morning, yes?" Mr. Hastings said.

"Absolutely," Toby said.

"Good," Mr. Hastings said. "Have a nice evening."

"You too, sir," Toby said. He waited until Mr. Hastings was out of sight, then looked at Spencer. "Was that all right?"

"Better than all right," Spencer said, standing up and hugging Toby. "He loved you!"

"I don't know if I'd call it love, Spence," Toby said.

"Maybe not," Spencer agreed, "but it's definitely a start."

Toby smiled and kissed Spencer, a gesture which she happily returned. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of the feeling of Toby's lips on hers.

"Now," she said once they'd separated. "How about that grilled cheese sandwich?"


End file.
